Roadway reflectors



Nov. 5, 1968 BAUNT ET AL ROADWAY REFLECTORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March3, 1967 PETER HEDGEWICK GEORGE E. HOWELL 54 g g wdbaz ATTORNE KS Nov. 5,1968 BAUNT ET AL 3,409,344

ROADWAY REFLECTORS Filed March 5, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Li -jg 43 JTJG.11 k E; k a M/l ENTORS P HE GE IC 27 GEORGE E. HOWELL fldmw PM ATTORA/EY5 Nov. 5, 1968 -r ET AL 3,409,344

ROADWAY REFLECTORS Filed March 3, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 //Vl/EN7'ORSRUDOLPH D. BALINT ER HEDGEWICK RGE E. HOWELL Nov. 5, 1968 R. D. BALINTET AL 3,409,344

' ROADWAY REFLECTORS Filed March 3, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 QTIIH//Vl/ENTORS RUDOLPH D. BALINT PETER HEDGEWICK GEORGE E. HOWELL flM/ KM MATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,409,344 ROADWAY REFLECTORS Rudolph D.Balint, Peter Hedgewick, and George E. Howell, Windsor, Ontario, Canada,assignors to Reflex Corportion of Canada Limited, Amherstburg, On-

tario, Canada, a corporation of Canada Filed Mar. 3, 1967, Ser. No.620,542 11 Claims. (Cl. 350-103) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The roadwayreflector disclosed herein comprises a hollow housing which has inclinedside and end walls and a flat top wall. The housing is molded in situabout the periphery of previously molded reflective inserts so that theinserts are in the end walls. The inserts have subs'tantially flat outersurfaces and a plurality of retro-reflective prisms on the innersurfaces thereof, the axes of the prisms forming an angle with the planeof the insert and in turn with the pavement when the marker is inposition such that the light beams from the automotive vehicle isreflected back to the eyes of the driver. The surfaces of the prisms arecoated with a metallized layer and the entire housing is filled with aplastic material to provide strength and rigidity to the marker. Amethod and apparatus for making the roadway reflector is disclosed.

Background of the invention This invention relates to roadway reflectorsand particularly to roadway reflectors that are adapted to be mounted ona roadway to reflect the light from the headlight' of an oncomingautomotive vehicle and thereby delineate the roadway to the driver ofthe vehicle.

It has heretofore been suggested that reflective prisms may be utilizedas roadway markers to delineate the roadway to the driver of anautomotive vehicle. Such prior roadway markers may comprise a previouslyformed housing in which a reflector is positioned by the use {of somefastening means or alternatively a one-piece housing having integrallymolded reflective prisms. The forirrer construction has a disadvantagein that it lacks strength and is subject to having the reflector becomeloosened and displaced in use. The latter construction has thedisadvantage in that the desired angle of the reflector cannot be formedin order to provide optimum reflection because of the inability towithdraw the one-piece housing and reflector from the mold.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a roadway reflectorwhich effectively reflects light back to the eyes of the driver of thevehicle; which is sufliciently strong; which can be provided with anopaque housing of different color; and which is relative low in cost.

Summary The roadway reflector disclosed herein comprises a hollowhousing which has inclined side and end walls and a flat top wall. Thehousing is molded in situ about the periphery of previously moldedreflective inserts so that the inserts are in the end walls. The insertshave substantially flat outer surfaces and a plurality ofretro-reflective prisms on the inner surfaces thereof, the axes of theprisms forming an angle with the plane of the insert and in turn withthe pavement when the marker is in position such that the light beamsfrom the auto-motive vehicle is reflected back to the eyes of thedriver. The surfaces of the prisms are coated with a metallized layerand the entire housing is filled with a plastic material to providestrength and rigidity to the marker. A method and apparatus for makingthe roadway reflector is disclosed.

3,409,344 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is aplan view of a roadway reflector embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1showing the reflector in position on a roadway. FIG. 3 is a fragmentarysectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 33 in FIG. 1,parts being removed.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a reflective insert utilized in the roadwayreflector shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 .is a bottom plan view of the reflective insert shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG.4.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 88 in FIG.4.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG.4.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a mold utilized in making the reflectiveinsert shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 11- is a sectional view taken along the line 1111 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 1212 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken alongthe line 1313 in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a part sectional elevational view of another mold utilized asin making the roadway marker.

FIG. 15 is a patt sectional plan view of the mold shown in FIG. 14.

Description Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the roadway reflector embodying theinvention comprises a housing 21 which is molded in situ aboutreflective inserts 22, as more fully described below. The housing 21 ishollow and comprises side walls 24, end walls 25 in which the inserts 22are embedded and a flat top wall 27.

As shown in FIGS. 4-9, each reflective insert 22 comprises spaced walls28 connected by an integral web 29. Each wall 28 includes an outersurface 30 that is substantially flat and an inner surface having aplurality of retro-reflective prisms 31 thereon. The prisms 31 arepreferably formed by three right angle surfaces in accordance withwell-known retro-reflective prism construction. The angles of the axesprisms with respect to the general plane of the wall 28 and in turn thesurface 30 is such that the prisms will reflect the light beam from therays of the automobile, as presently described.

Each reflective insert 22 includes a peripheral bead 32 that extendsalong sides thereof and is embedded in the housing. Each reflectiveinsert further comprises a marginal rib 34 that extends axially andisolates the prisms 31 from the periphery of the insert for reasonspresently described. At the center of the insert, rib 34 merges with web29. The rib 34 is adapted to engage a surface of a mold in which theinsert is placed. Along the bottom edge the peripheral bead 32 has crosssectional shape such as shown in FIG. 9 wherein the head is rectangularand is spaced substantially centrally between the surface 31 and thebase of the marginal rib 34. A substantially straight axial surface 35extends to the surface 31 and inclined surface 36 extends to the base ofthe rib 34. The cross section of the bead 32 along the sides of theinsert is shown in FIG. 7 wherein the bead merges with the inclinedsurface 37 extending to the base of the rib 34 but has a shoulder orstep 38 extending to the surface 31. The cross section of the rib 32along the top of the insert is shown in FIG.

8 wherein the rib has an inclined top surface 39 that merges with thestep 38 and a short inclined surface 39a that extends to the base of therib 34.

A typical apparatus for forming the reflective inserts 22 is shown inFIGS. -13 and comprises mold halves 40, 41 that define a mold cavity forforming the insert. The mold cavity includes inserts 42 that havecomplementary retroreflective prisms formed thereon so that they willshape the plastic which is injected in the mold to form the prisms 31.Further, the mold half 41 includes pins 43 that form openings 45 intheweb 29 of the insert. The plastic material subsequently molded aroundthe insert enters the openings 45 to facilitate interlocking the insertand the housing. In addition, projections 46 are molded integrally inthe web by depressions 47 in the mold half 41 and extend downwardly forengaging openings in the subsequent mold as presently described to holdthe insert in position for molding of the housing around the insert.

The insert is molded by injecting plastic material into the mold througha runner 44 thereby forming the transparent insert shown in FIGS. 4-8.

The surfaces of the prisms 31 on the insert are then coated with ametallic layer as by vacuum deposition.

The resultant inserts are thereafter transferred to the apparatus shownin FIGS. 14-16 where the housing is molded in situ about the inserts.

As shown in FIGS. 14-16, the apparatus comprises mold halves 50, 51which as shown define two cavities 52 to which plastic is supplied byrunners 53. Each lower half 51 has portions shaped to define the innersurface of the housing which is to be molded and each upper half 50 hasportions shaped to define the outer surface of the housing. Each lowerhalf 51 also has raised portions 54 that extend upwardly within theinsert .22 and cooperate within the marginal rib 34 of the insert toisolate the prisms 31 from the cavity so that when the plastic isinjected it will flow around the insert 22 to form the housing but willnot enter the space of the prisms 31. The marginal rib 34 engages thesurface of the mold around the raised portions 54 and holds the prismsof the insert out of contact with the raised portions 54. To facilitateinsertion of the inserts into the mold, openings 55 are provided intowhich the projections 46 on the insert extend.

When the plastic is injected into the mold, the plastic flows around theinserts and between the walls 28 in overlying relation with the web 29and into the openings 45 (FIG. 2).

- The mold is also formed with a plurality of depressions 56 whichproduce interlocking ribs 57 which form on the top end walls of theresultant housing (FIG. 2) which facilitate the locking of the resinfill with the housing.

After the housing is formed about the inserts, the resultant unitarystructure is removed from the mold and a mass F of plastic material suchas epoxy resin is then poured Within the housing and cured to strengthenthe roadway marker so that when it is placed in position on a roadway asshown in FIG. 2 by adhesive it will withstand the weight of automotivevehicles passing thereover.

The resutlant roadway marker has the prisms of the reflector thereinforming an angle with the plane of the roadway such that the light beamof the oncoming automotive vehicle will be reflected back to the eyes ofthe driver. Where the angle of the end walls 25 with the horizontal is25, the angle which the axes of the prisms make with a normal to theplane of the walls 25 ispreferably 3730. Where the angle of the endwalls 25 with the horizontal .is 20", the angle which the axes of theprisms make with a normal to the plane of the end walls 25 is 3908. A

By making the insert in a separate step, it is possible to provide inthe marker the desired angle of the prisms without being limited to thedraft angle which necessarily limits the angle that can be produced inthe prisms where the housing and reflector are molded in a singleoperation. More specifically, the retro-reflective prisms that areformed on the resultant roadway marker have surfaces X (FIG. 3) whichextend upwardly and outwardly at an angle to the vertical which angleswould preclude the manufacture of the roadway marker in a single piecesince the angles would prevent removal of the molded part from the mold.Moreover, by the present invention, the inserts may be made oftransparent material as is necessary while the housing may be made ofopaque material. This produces a roadway marker that can be more readilyvisible in darkness or in daylight. Furthermore, by making the housingof a different material, the housing may be made of a stronger plasticsuch as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene while the reflective insert canbe made of suitable but less strong plastic material such as acrylicresin, for example, methyl methacrylate.

We claim: I

1. A roadway reflector comprising an integral housing of plasticmaterialincluding a base portion and a wall extending upwardly and inwardly, thewidth and height of the wall forming one side of said housing,

said wall having a plurality of recesses therein forming a webtherebetween,

an integral reflective insert of transparent plastic material,

said insert comprising spaced portions connetced by a web underlying theweb of the housing, said insert comprising spaced outer fiat surfacesand spaced inner surfaces forming retro-reflective prisms, said prismsforming an angle with the general plane of said wall of said housing,

said insert being bonded in the recesses to said wall of I said housingin such a manner that the prisms extend at an acute angle to the planeof the wall and at an acute angle to the horizontal.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the prisms of saidinsert are coated with a metallized layer,

said housing being filled with a mass of plastic material.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 including anchoring meansbetween said housing and said mass of plastic material.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing is moldedin situ about said reflective insert.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said reflective insertincludes a peripheral bead bonded to said housing.

6. A roadway reflector comprising a housing of plastic materialincluding a base and a wall extending at an angle to the base and havinga recess therein,

a reflective insert of transparent plastic material having a flat outersurface and an inner surface formed with retro-reflective prisms, theoptical axes of said prisms forming an acute angle with the generalinclined plane of said wall of said housing,

said insert having an effective surface with a width and heightsubstantially equal to the width and height of said housing and beingbonded to the recess in said wall of said housing in such a manner thatthe optical axes of said prisms extend at an acute angle to the plane ofthe wall and at an acute angle to the horizontal,

each of said prisms having at least one surface thereof forming an angleextending upwardly and outwardly thereof with respect to the outersurface of the reflective insert in such a manner that said surfacewould interfere with retraction if the housing and insert were molded ina single piece in a mold,

the angle which the optical axes of the prisms make with the outersurface of the insert being such that light rays from the light beam ofan oncoming vehicle will be reflected back to the eyes of the driver ofa vehicle.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein the prisms of saidinsert are coated with a metallized layer,

said housing being filled with a mass of plastic material.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 including anchoring meansbetween said housing and said mass of plastic material.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said housing is ofsubstantally uniform thickness and molded in situ about said reflectiveinsert.

10. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said reflective inserthas spaced outer surface portions.

11. The combination set forth in claim- 6 wherein said housing includesa second wall on an opposite end thereof from said first-mentioned wall,

said second wall extending at an angle to the base and having a recesstherein,

a second reflective insert of transparent plastic material having a flatouter surface and an inner surface formed with retro-reflective prisms,

the optical axes of said prisms on said second insert forming an acuteangle with the general inclined plane of said second wall of saidhousing,

said second insert having an effective surface with a width and heightsubstantially equal to the width and height of said housing and beingbonded to the recess in said second wall of said housing in such amanner that the optical axes of said prisms extend at an acute angle tothe plane of the second wall and at an acute angle to the horizontal,

each of said prisms of said second insert having at least one surfacethereof forming an angle extending upwardly and outwardly thereof withrespect to the outer surface of the reflective insert in such a mannerthat said surfaces would interfere with retraction if the housing andinserts were molded in a single piece in a mold,

the angle which the optical axes of the prisms of said second insertmake with the outer surface of the second insert being such that lightrays from the light beam of an oncoming vehicle will be reflected backto the eyes of the driver of a vehicle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,375 2/1936 James 350-1032,067,698 1/1937 Hall 941.5 2,180,105 11/1939 Farrell 94-l.5 2,216,32510/1940 Ryder 350103 2,368,330 1/1945 Schwartz 941.5 2,498,426 2/ 1950Johnson 350-97 2,489,499 11/ 1949 Pellar 35097 X 2,603,909 7/1952Pettibone 941.5 2,635,513 4/1953 Batterson 94-1.5 2,682,807 7/1954Onksen 350-103 2,918,570 12/1959 Diedring 35097 3,047,716 7/1962 Hoxieet a1. 240-1.2 3,216,335 11/1965 Stolarczyk et al. 941.5 3,332,3277/1967 Heenan O-1O3 FOREIGN PATENTS 438,328 11/1935 .Great Britain.

DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner.

P. R. GILLIAM, Assistant Examiner.

